Two officers at The Salvation Army Hayward Corps have been promoted to the rank of captain.

Captains John and Kyna Kelley hail from Tucson, Arizona. When they married in 1999, John was a single father of two and Kyna worked in a convenience store while attending college. After a few years, they found themselves battling everything life threw at them and eventually divorced.

A close friend who had found hope and a job at The Salvation Army, to the Tucson Amphi Corps. Kyna attended a recovery meeting and then a variety of other events there. Eventually she joined the staff at the Amphi Corps Youth Center and thrived. Kyna shared her stories with John who decided to learn more about the organization.

ÒFrom the moment I walked in the door, I was accepted for who I was. It made such an impact on my life. I fell in love with The Salvation Army and those who call it home,Ó said Capt. John. The hope and faith they received opened their eyes to so many possibilities and the Kelleys eventually re-married. ÒWe made sure to do it right this time and made God the center of our relationship,Ó recalled Capt. John.

John and Kyna attended Pima Community College where they studied a variety of fields including real estate law, estate planning, business management and child psychology while becoming increasingly involved with their local Corps.

They embraced every opportunity that arose. Their abilities led to their appointment as Corps Helpers for several years before attending Officer Training College. After two years of study and training, they graduated as ordained ministers of The Salvation Army in 2012.

Of the many lessons learned on their journey with The Army, the recurring one is "Others." That play a huge role in their lives and they appreciate the opportunity to help, build and impact any situation, positively. The Kelleys chose to minister through The Salvation Army because the churchÕs dual mission parallels their own ethos of pastoral care and meeting human needs with Christian spirit without discrimination.

ÒOur goals for the Hayward Corps are to maintain existing programs, introduce new services and continue growth as a family,Ó Capt. John said. ÒLooking ahead, we pray for a new facility that will serve the Hayward, Castro Valley and San Lorenzo communities for many years to come with an expanded range of essential services. WeÕre blessed by the support of our church family and of the wider community.Ó